Cougar Connect
Week of January 6, 2020 (Happy New Year!)
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Phase 2 of Construction
The ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Kennedy Administration Building, which will now house the main office and Family Center (although there are two separate entrances), is on Tuesday, January 7, at 10 am. If you are able to make it, come and join us! We would love to have students and parents in the pictures. You can then take a tour of the new building.
On January 8, students will now go back to the way they used to enter campus before construction started, which is by using the 100-wing entrance by Rocketship (in front of the new building). We are still trying to decide if we will use the 300-wing entrance in the mornings and afternoons. For the first week back we will leave it open, but we may phase this out. This gate will be locked during the school day. We need to see how the next phase of construction affects walking paths, etc. We will continue to have the gate at the end of the front drop off area near the B-Quad open in the morning and for dismissal.
What is happening in Phase 2 of construction? For the next few months the majority of the work will be in the 200-wing. The old office will be converted to classroom space. Mrs. Comfort’s classroom, room 211, will be converted to a science classroom/lab space. (Her classroom will be temporarily moved to one of the portables). There will be some small cosmetic updates to the teacher staff room, which is also in the 200-wing. Additionally, a new single-use student bathroom will be constructed at the end of the 400-wing where the Ball Shack/Coach Moe’s office is currently located. There will also be work on the bathrooms near the locker room.
MDTP - Math Diagnostics Testing Project
Our 8th graders will take their math placement test on Tuesday, January 14. While we wanted to do it on the block day it wasn’t ideal to give it the first two days back from break and we couldn’t wait until the following block days because the tests are due to the Sequoia Union High School District on Friday, January 17, which would have left us no time for make ups. So we had to go with a slightly modified schedule just for 8th graders. Students will report to an assigned testing classroom after brunch on that day. The test will be administered during third and fourth period that day. They will then go to lunch and go back to a normal schedule for the rest of the day.
Students will have 45 minutes to answer 45 questions. They can write in the test booklet and will bubble answers on a scantron. Students in 8th grade math will take the Algebra Readiness test, while the students in Algebra will take the Geometry Readiness test.
Principal's Coffee
The Principal's Coffee for this coming Thursday, January 9, has been postponed to Thursday, January 23, at 8:30 am, due to some conflicts that have come up. Since there is no Principal's Coffee in February due to a Superintendent's Coffee on Tuesday, February 4, (at 8:30 am in the Library), it is almost better that we are doing this month's coffee a little bit later. At the Principal's Coffee on the 23rd, I will share data from the math IAB's that took place in December, share information about assessments taking place in February and March, and I would like to gather input for next school year since I am already starting to work on the budget and master schedule.
Rules Reminders
I am guessing some of our students received new perfume, cologne, and bodies sprays as gifts over break. A reminder that these must stay at home because we have staff and students allergic to these.
Some of our students probably got a new cell phone over the break. We encourage all cell phones to stay at home. If they must come to school with your student, the phone needs to be turned off or on silent mode once they enter campus and must be stored in your student’s backpack (NOT ANYWHERE ON THEM). Families, please help us by not calling or texting your student during the school day. If you need to reach your student, please call the office. We will be happy to get a message or forgotten items to them.
I bet some of our students got a new hoodie sweatshirt during break. A reminder that students need to take off their hoods when they enter campus. Why? Because students hide airpods and other items in their hoods and we also like to see their faces.
Thanks for reminding your students about all of these rules before they return. Administrators will also be visiting classrooms the first two weeks back to remind students about all sorts of school rules, too.
School Tours
Our next school tour is Thursday, January 16, at 8:30 am in the library. Please encourage incoming families to attend. They do not need to RSVP. Our last formal tour date is Friday, January 24, at 8:30 am in the library.
*For families who can’t make any of these dates/times and want more information about the school can contact the office to setup a meeting time with me.
Breakfast Club This Week
February 6
Middle Years
Teen Talk Data
8th Grade Graduation and Events Committee Needs Your Help!
Graduation may seem like a long way away, but the 8th Grade Graduation Committee is already starting to plan events for May and June 2020 that will create lifelong memories for our students that will be saying goodbye and moving onto high school! Please help out by visiting https://kennedycougarspto.org/8th-grade-graduation-events to donate and sign up to volunteer for various events. The next Graduation Committee Meeting will be Tuesday, January 21st at 6 pm in the Library (immediately before the PTO meeting).
Student Store
Academic Support
Breakfast Club (Breakfast Provided)
7:45-8:15 am, Library (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays)
After School Help (Snacks Provided)
3:10-4:10 pm, Room 531 (Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays)
1:40-2:40 pm, Room 531 (Thursdays)
Clubs
Anime Club - Thursdays, Lunch, Room 417
Book Club - Wednesdays, 3:10-4:10, Room 531
Dungeons & Dragons Club - Tuesdays, 3:15-4:15 pm, Room 528
Earth Club - Wednesdays, Lunch, Library
Gamers' Club - Mondays, 3:10-4:10 pm, Room 637
Maker Space Club - Mondays, Lunch, Room 531
Photograph Club - Tuesdays, Lunch, and Wednesdays, 3:10-4:10 pm, Room 314
Sci-Fi Club - Tuesday, Lunch, Room B-5 (Every Other Week)
Yoga Club - Tuesdays & Thursdays, Lunch, Room A1 (Locker Room)
Students can show up to the club and do not need to sign up ahead of time.
News From The Community
Sequoia High School IB Info Meeting
January 2020 Saturday Open House at Woodside High School
Principal Diane Burbank would like to invite prospective students and parents for another opportunity to see Woodside High School.
The link below is to register if interested.
WHS Open House Registration for Sat., Jan. 25
Woodside High School will hold its annual Open House on Saturday, January 25, 2020, 9 am to 12 noon. Student led one-hour tours will showcase our fabulous campus and answer many prospective students’ questions about attending Woodside High School. Tours leave every 10 minutes from the PAC (Performing Arts Center) and end at the MUR (Multi-use Room) to speak informally with academic and athletic program staff. Please pre-register to guarantee your tour spot.
Pictures From Before Break
January Events
Wednesday, January 1 - Tuesday, January 7: No School
Tuesday, January 7: Aladdin Jr., Rehearsal, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Room 417; Ribbon Cutting Ceremony For Admin Building, 10:00 am, Admin Building
Wednesday, January 8: School Resumes
Thursday, January 9: Student Store Open – Lunch, Room 531A; Grand Canyon Meeting, 6:30 pm, Gym
Friday, January 10: Kennedy Sweatshirt/Shirt Spirit Day
Saturday, January 11: Grand Canyon Pancake Breakfast, 8:00-11:00 am, Gym
Monday, January 13: WEB Leader Meeting, Brunch, Girls Locker Room; Meet RCSD Night at Kennedy – Jazz Band/Choir Perform from 5:30-5:45 pm, Gym
Tuesday, January 14: MDTP 8th Grade, 3rd & 4th Period in Assigned Classroom; Meet RCSD Night at Hoover – Jazz Band/Choir Perform from 5:30-5:45 pm, MUB
Wednesday, January 15: Student Council Meeting, 8:00 am, Room 531; Taft & Henry Ford 5th Graders Visit (3rd Period, Lunch, 5th Period); WEB Leaders Eat Lunch with 5th Graders, B-Quad; Site Council Meeting, 3:15 pm, Library
Thursday, January 16: School Tour, 8:30 am, Library; Student of the Month Picture, 11:22 am, Gym
Friday, January 17: 6th Grade WEB Pizza & Winter Trivia Event, Lunch, B-Quad
Monday, January 20: No School, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday, January 21: Second Harvest Food Bank, 9:30 am, Gym; Face the Cookie Lunchtime Competition, Outside Room 534/535; Grad Committee Meeting, 6 pm, Library; PTO Meeting, 7 pm, Library
Thursday, January 23: Principal’s Coffee, 8:30 am, Library; Student Store Open, Lunch, Room 531A; 8th Grade High School Address Verification Night, 5:00-7:30 pm, Library
Friday, January 24: School Tour, 8:30 am, Library
Monday, January 27: January Birthday Celebration, Lunch, Room 531A
Tuesday, January 28: Moving Up Lunchtime Competition, Outside Room 534/535
Friday, January 31: Aladdin Jr. Performance, 7:00 pm, MIT TheaterKennedy Middle School
Email: sadler@rcsdk8.net
Website: www.rcsdk8.net/kennedy
Location: 2521 Goodwin Avenue, Redwood City, CA, USA
Phone: (650) 482-2409
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennedymiddleschool/